


in the end of the night

by haipollai



Category: Captain America (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Always a girl!Steve, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Rule 63, always a girl!Bucky, past trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 11:54:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1857108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haipollai/pseuds/haipollai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The gun presses to her chest, right over her heart. "I'm dangerous,” Bucky whispers, voice catching. </p><p>Steve shrugs, keeping her movements small and slow. "You always were."</p>
            </blockquote>





	in the end of the night

**Author's Note:**

> +this was going to be sparring > porn because of [this](http://felixandria.tumblr.com/post/89985607851/i-have-needs-that-are-not-being-met-by-this-fandom) amazing art but then it became like five times people misjudged bucky  
> +title from night by zola jesus

The gun presses to her chest, right over her heart. "I'm dangerous,” Bucky whispers, voice catching. 

Steve shrugs, keeping her movements small and slow. "You always were."

-

Steve makes sure to contain the metal arm as quick as possible, she wants to grab it and hold on but that would also give Bucky leverage against her. She pins it with a knee but Bucky kicks up at her, sending her off balance and tumbling into the mat. 

Bucky is quick to follow through with her advantage, but Steve gets a leg up and plants it in her stomach, shoving her backwards. Steve quickly gets to her feet. 

Bucky is still gasping for air but is up and ready for Steve's first punch. The shock of hitting the metal arm instead of flesh makes her grit her teeth but she continues her attack, swinging up her other alarm and catching Bucky in the side. 

In trying to evade her, Steve has a chance to twist the metal arm behind Bucky's back. Bucky physically throws herself backwards sending them both crashing to the ground and breaking Steve's hold. Bucky was ready for the impact so recovers first, twisting around to straddle Steve's waist. 

She gets her flesh and blood hand around Steve's neck. Steve grabs her wrist just to show she's not done yet. With her free hand, she yanks Bucky forward. For a split second Bucky's caught off guard and Steve rolls them again so she's on top of Bucky. 

She gets her knee on the wrist of Bucky's metal arm so she can't be thrown off this time. 

Bucky scowls up at her and doesn't relax her hand on Steve's throat. 

"If this was real, you'd be dead and I'd win," Bucky says. 

"If this was real I'd have snapped your neck like ten moves ago."

Bucky grins shyly. "Ok yea, you would have. That is such a cool move though." She drops her hand to the mat and Steve shifts her knee so it's no longer pinning her. She doesn't get off of Bucky though. "So I guess if you're gonna kill me that's not a bad way to go."

"Glad I have your permission."

"As if you could take me out any other way." She sticks her tongue out at Steve. 

Steve ducks her head and kisses her, sucking on Bucky's tongue.

"Take me I'm yours." She throws her arms up dramatically. 

"Right here?" Steve gives a pointed look around at the rest of the gym. For now they're all alone but Steve has no idea how long that might last. 

Bucky smirks and runs her fingers through Steve's hair, ruining whatever is left of the braid Steve had in before the fight. "Think of it like a test soldier."

Steve bites at Bucky's lower lip. "How quickly can I get you off?"

"Exactly. Or discreetly if you want to be boring."

She mouths at Bucky's neck, right where she knows Bucky will arch and sigh. Her fingers pull at the knots in Steve's hair. "Once Jarvis caught on, we wouldn't have any time at all."

"Doesn't count. Has to be human eyes."

"You think Stark won't be far behind his AI?"

Bucky makes a face up at the ceiling. "Can we not talk about Stark while I'm trying to get you to go down on me?" She shudders dramatically and Steve grins against her collarbone. 

Bucky's skin tastes of sweat, and Steve runs her tongue in a long line from clavicle to jaw. "It would be exciting," she murmurs, trailing her fingers down Bucky's side and drawing out a real shiver from her. 

"Fuck if you say 'but' I will kill you."

"But," Steve draws it out long and slow. She quickly twists away before Bucky can attack but Bucky follows, catching her ankle and pulling. A surprised laugh escapes her as she tries weakly to free herself. 

Bucky is a heavy weight on top of her so Steve gives in and wraps her arms around her shoulders. "I hate you," she mumbles into Steve's neck. "You're an awful, awful tease. Gonna tell everyone. Don't date Stephanie Rogers. She'll leave you aching. Cocktease."

Steve lightly scratches the back of Bucky's head. "Can I be a cocktease? Don't you need a dick for that?"

Bucky presses her teeth against her neck. "I hate you a lot."

"I know. Get up, my back hurts."

Bucky pushes herself up onto her elbows to look down at her. "Gotta get me off."

Steve grins and doesn't move long enough that she can see Bucky starting to get nervous. Then she arches up and kisses her hard. It's just enough to surprise Bucky and throw her off balance. 

Bucky tangles their legs together and they end up back on the ground, fighting completely forgotten.

-

"Is this safe?" Stark asks, eying the two of them in the kitchen. Steve is sitting on the counter, half watching the news on TV while Bucky cooks. 

"Hm? What?" Steve looks between them, not sure what Stark is so worried about.

"That knife?" He says, sounding almost anxious at the thought of Bucky with a knife. 

Bucky sighs audibly and flips it between her fingers. "Kitchen knife. Shitty balance. Also you really need to invest in a knife sharpener, what kind of pathetic kitchen is this?” She shakes her head in disappointment and goes back to chopping tomatoes. Stark is gaping, looking back and forth as if for some reason Steve is going to tell him everything he doesn’t understand about Bucky. Like maybe how growing up on an army base meant she spent a lot of time in the kitchens. 

Or maybe that she learned how to throw knives at fourteen mostly out of boredom, but the skill was perfected by the SAS. There’s lots Stark doesn’t know and Steve doesn’t feel like telling him if he’s that worried Bucky is going to snap and slit his throat with a kitchen knife.

Bucky continues grumbling about the sad state of Stark’s kitchen.

“Owns a thousand dollar espresso machine but a knife sharpener is too fucking fancy.”

Steve rolls her eyes and changes the channel.

-

Steve is fairly sure she’s lost half the hair on her head and her ribs might be broken but she’s less concerned about those. There’s no blood on her lips so she’s fairly sure nothing major is damaged.

She drops down onto a convenient pile of rubble and lets her head sink into her hands. They won, but it doesn’t feel like much of a victory. She shoves her cowl back, feeling like the fabric is suffocating her and the earpiece built in is nothing but buzz as everyone tries to figure out what next. Who needs what.

They’ll probably need some body bags.

Steve isn’t sure if she feels lucky or not that it’s none of her people. The Avengers got out of this one beat up, but everyone is ok. Rubble skitters past her but she doesn’t lift her head, if someone is going to sneak up to stab her in the back then they’re welcome to. 

“You are such a giant fucking target in that,” Bucky says as she drops down next to her. She’s dressed in dark blue. “Seriously, who designed that?”

“Jan.” She lifts her head to force herself to smile but Bucky doesn’t look impressed or convinced. “I carry around a shield, I don’t think what I wear makes much difference.”

Bucky clucks her tongue and adjusts her rifle so she can shift closer, carefully balancing on broken concrete and grabs a handful of Steve’s uniform and yanks her the rest of the way over. Their foreheads touch and Steve lets out a soft breath. “Stephanie.” Steve groans, it’s never good when Bucky uses her full name. “You die on me, and I’m gonna kill you myself.”

Someone clears their throat uncomfortably and Steve reluctantly looks away from Bucky’s eyes to see Clint standing by their pile of rubble. “What’s up Hawkeye?” Steve asks.

“I- well-” He keeps on sneaking looks at Bucky as if she’s a wild animal who might strike. “There’s a woman who wants to talk to Captain America and the paramedics are trying to deal with her but she seems insistent and if it calms her down…”

“I’m going.” Steve pushes to her feet. Sitting down helped but she can still feel the weariness pull at her. Along with Bucky’s fingers curling around her wrist. “Did you sweep the area?”

“The flyers are on it. Or maybe just Sentry. It’s ok Steve, go be a hero.” She kisses Steve’s knuckles. “And remember, no dying.”

Steve gives her a weak salute before going to see what is needed from her. Clint falls into step beside her, glancing back over his shoulder at Bucky. “Is it safe? To leave her with that gun?” He asks when he assumes they’re out of earshot. Steve is fairly sure her hearing has been enhanced but doesn’t point that out.

“Bucky’s been carrying rifles longer than you’ve had a bow and arrow. She knows how to handle it.”

“Come on, Stephanie, you know that’s not what I meant.”

She stops and looks at Clint. He almost trips over his own feet at the suddenness of it. “No it is what you meant because anything else sounds like you’re threatening my partner.” She doesn’t wait for a response and spins on her heel to stalk towards the ambulance.

-

Jan managed to co-opt the TV for some reality competition show. Steve doesn’t understand the absolute hatred people have for them though she doesn’t seek them out that often. She stays where she is on her chair, playing around on her tablet while everyone argues around her.

She knows when Bucky walks in because there’s a momentary pause before Hank continues explaining why she should go back to anything else but this.

Bucky nudges her shoulder and Steve moves so Bucky can slip in behind her.

“Sit on the ground,” she murmurs and Steve looks up to see what she’s up to. Bucky shrugs so Steve doesn’t see a reason not to and slips to the ground, folding her legs neatly as Bucky makes herself comfortable in the chair.

A moment later she feels Bucky’s fingers run through her hair. Steve doesn’t look up from the screen but smiles at the gentle touch.

“You know how to french braid?” Steve hears Wanda ask, Bucky doesn’t say anything so Steve assumes she’s nodding. “Doesn’t seem like a skill you would have. I mean-”

“No, I get it,” Bucky says. Steve starts to lift her head but Bucky gently swats her shoulder to keep her still. “Army brat, dead mom, brainwashed assassin. Doesn’t really add up to ‘can style Steve’s awful mane of hair’.” Steve reaches back to pinch her calf and Bucky laughs and kicks her lightly in the side. “Awful,” she repeats.

Out of the corner of her eye, Steve can see that Wanda is smiling and not running away like most do when Bucky drops her history into casual conversation. Steve is sure she does it as a defense mechanism, to keep people away from her. “So how did you learn?”

“Nurses on base. I kept on getting my hair stuck in things and dad was hopeless with what to do with a daughter so one of them taught me how.” Her fingers reach the end of Steve’s hair and she absently undoes the braid to start again. “Got better when I had someone besides myself to practice on.”

“My hair isn’t awful,” Steve grumbles half heartedly. “You love it.”

“I put up with your hair because it’s on your head.”

“Couldn’t keep your hands out of it last night.”

“Steve,” Bucky hisses.

“Don’t worry, it’s good to see our illustrious Captain relax,” Wanda says. “You are good.” She touches Bucky’s metal fingers lightly and it could simply be because it is the closer hand but Steve doubts it. 

For a long minute after Wanda leaves them, Bucky doesn’t move, her fingers still buried in Steve’s hair. So Steve gets back up, squeezing onto the chair beside her. 

-

The gun is pressed to Steve’s heart but looking at the woman holding it, Steve knows she’s not looking at the Winter Soldier.

“Bucky,” she breathes, wanting desperately to reach out. She knows Bucky won’t pull the trigger but Bucky doesn’t seem to realize that yet. She’s too scared of the possibility of something dangerous inside of her she can’t control. “It’s ok. You’ll be ok.”

“I could kill you,” Bucky insists.

Steve can see Sharon out of the corner of her eye, waiting just in case and Sam must be around as well. Steve made them both promise they would bring Bucky home alive and safe. “You always could. But you won’t.”

“You promise?”

Steve smiles and carefully reaches up for the gun, pulling it out of Bucky’s loose fingers. “Promise.”


End file.
